Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1887-10-29
JESS.
gyH.RIpER HAcGAHps
EuRoreI 'Qes solon,oEse seupeS StTEts

Sy tsNS&IN htFNnVS -.. -
EuRors 'lQrs solon,oEsc scuqeS StSEls
sacre of his relatives by Frank Muller twenty
years before. of which, indeed, she already
knew something. It would be most fitting
that this fiend should be removed OF the face
Of the earth by the survivor Of those unfortur
nases Tfefe would be d ifEtlg poetic 5ustice
about that, and It is 50 rare in the world
But the question was, would he do 1T The
little man was a wonderful coward, that she
knew, and had a great terror Of Beers, and
especially Of Frank Muller.
"Jantje," she whispered, putting her head
toward the bee hole.
aYes, missile" answered hoarse voice OUT
side, and next second his monkey Like face
came creeping into the ring Of light, followed
by his even moro monkey like form.
"Sit down there Jantje. ! ann lonely
here, and want to talk"
He obeyed her, with grin. "What shall
we talk about, missile? Shall I tell you O
story of the time when the beasts used to
speak like used to do years and years agor
"No, Jantje. Tell me about that stick
that long stick with q knob on the top, and
the hicks cut on it. Has it not something to
do with Frank Mullerr'
The Hottentot's face instantly grew evil
"Yah, yah, missiel" he said, reaching out q
skinny claw and seizing the stick. "Look,
that big notch, that Is my father, Baas
Frank shot him; and that next notch, that is
my mother, Baas Frank shot her; and the
next one, that is my uncle, an old, old man,
Baas Frank shot him, too. And these small
notches, they are where he has beaten me
yes, and other things, too. And now will
make more notches-one for the house that
Is burned, and one for the old Baas Croft,
my own baas, whom he is going to shoot,
and one for Missile Bessie" And without
further ado he drew from his side very
large, white handled hunting knife, and be-
gan to cut them then and there upon the
hard wood of the stick.
Jess knew this knife of old. 1t was Jantie's
peculiar treasure, the chief Joy of his narrow
little heart. He had bought it from Zulu
for heller which her uncle had given him
in lieu Of half years wages. The Zulu had
got it from man who came down from be-
yond Delagoa bay. As a matter of fact it was
a Samali knife, manufactured from soft ma
tive steel (which takes an edge like q razor),
and with handle cut from the tusk Of a hip
popotamus For the rest, it was about foot
long, with Inree grooves running tne ienguu
Of the blade, and very heavy.
"Stop cutting notches, Jantje, and let me
look at that knife"
He obeye and put it into her hand.
THAT knife would kill q man, Jantje," shs
said
killed many men"
SIT would kill Frank Muller, now, would II
notr' she said, suddenly bending forward and
III "a n1anve
jaundiced orbs. -
aYah, yah," he said, starting back. "it
would kill him dead. Ahi What thing II
would be to kill him" he added, with fierce
half sniggle, half laugh
sHe killed your father, Jantje."
"Yah, yah, he killed my father" said
Jantje, his eyes beginning to roll with rage.
"He killed your mother"
"Yah. he killed my another. !" he repeated
after her with eager ferocity.
"And your uncle. He killed your uncle"
"And my uncle, too" he went on, shaking
his fist and twitching his long toes as his voice
rose TO a sort Of subdued scream. "But he
will die n blood-the old Englishwoman, his
mother, said 1t when the devil was in her, and
the devils never lie. Looki I draw Baas
Franks circle in the dust with my toe, and
listen. say tho words-I say the words, !" and
he muttered something rapidly; ian old, old
witch doctor taught me how to do it, and
what to say. Once before did it, and there
was stone in the way; now there is no stone
look, the ends meet. He viii die in bloodl He
win die soon. know how TO read the circle,
and ho gnashed his teeth and sawed the air
with his clinched fists. vr
"Yes, you are right, Jantje," she said, still
holding him with her dark eyes. "He will
die in blood, and he shall die tonight, AND
you will kill him, Jantje"
Ths Hottentot started, and turned pale
under his yellow skin.
"Howr he said; "howr
aBend forward, Jantjs, and ! viii tell You
how" and she whispered for some minutes
into his ear.